Alan Cole wrote, in part:
> The real question is how come rotary valves
> are used on instruments that don't have stacked
> double airways -- e.g., single horns in Bb or F,
> "German style" rotary-valve trumpets, tenor
> horns, tubas, etc.,
That's a heck of a good question.
I play primarily tuba and euphonium, and have a mixture of piston and
rotary valve instruments.
Four tubas:
Conn BBb, four short-stroke pistons
Mirafone BBb, four rotaries
Yamaha Eb -- four pistons + 1 rotary
Alexander F -- 6 rotaries
There isn't a slow valve in the bunch, except the one rotary on the
Yamaha. But it's a dependent fifth valve, located in the fourth valve
slide, and the thumb throw lever is engineered so that it has a very
long throw to rotate the valve. A couple of pro tubists have said that
my Mirafone has the fastest rotaries they've ever seen on any rotary
valve tuba. By contrast, a tuba colleague recently purchased a new
Cerveny BBb with four rotaries, and they seem very sluggish to me.
I presently own two euphoniums -- a Holton Double-Bell from the 1920's
with pistons, and a Mirafone 4-valve rotary from the 1980's. The Holton
pistons are quite fast and smooth -- at least they've never held me
back. I just bought the Mirafone off eBay and will pick it up later
today, so can't report on valve speed yet. But if they're as well-made
as on my Mirafone tuba, I'll be happy.
I guess my position would be that (1) if the rotary valves themselves
are properly engineered and manufactured, and (2) if the operating
levers have a reasonable-length throw to operate the valve, and (3) if
the lever springs are stiff enough to provide a very fast return without
being so stiff that they're hard to operate, then rotary valves can be
plenty fast and smooth enough for most players.
The trombone world has been using Thayer valves and other similar type
valves for some years now. I wonder if we'll see this type of valve in
use on other instruments?
Jim O'Briant
Bayside Music Press
www.baysidemusicpress.com
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